Pope Francis urges young people to lead a ‘revolution of service’

Light of truth

In a video message to young men and women around the world, Pope Francis has called on them to provoke an uprising of change by serving others.

In helping those who are suffering, both young believers and non-believers can find “a strength that can change the world,” the Pope said in a video message to youths for the up-coming World Youth Day in Panama. “It is a revolution that can overturn the powerful forces at work in our world. It is the ‘revolution’ of service,” he said in the message released by the Vatican.

The theme for the World Youth Day celebrations, which will take place on January 22-27, is taken from the Gospel of St Luke, “May it be done to me according to your word.”

In his message, the Pope said those words uttered by Mary during the Annunciation are “the positive reply of one who under-stands the secret of vocation: to go beyond oneself and place oneself at the service of others.”

Life, he said, can only find meaning when serving God and others. Like Mary, young people must engage “in conversation with God with an attitude of listening” so that they may discover their calling either in marriage, consecrated life or the priesthood.